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Scott stays in the PGA title hunt

Becoming the first Australian to wear the green jacket at the Masters has given Adam Scott confidence at Oak Hill.

Fri Aug 09 2013 21:33:03 GMT+0000

Scott beat Argentina's Angel Cabrera in a playoff at Augusta National in April [GETTY]

Winning the Masters brought Adam Scott the major title he always dreamed of winning. It also inspired a whole new dream of maximizing his major trophy haul.

The 33-year-old Australian, shaking off a disappointing British Open defeat for the second year in a row, took his next step in that quest Friday at the PGA Championship, firing a two-under par 68 at Oak Hill to reach seven-under par 133 after 36 holes.

Scott became the first Aussie to win a green jacket with his April triumph at Augusta National and with his game fine tuned has made himself a Wanamaker Trophy contender as well.

"I can't take my foot off the gas just because I achieved something great at Augusta," Scott said.

"My game is in great shape. I've got to take advantage of it otherwise it's all a waste."

Appetite

Scott squandered a four-shot lead with four concluding bogeys to lose the British Open last year at Royal Lytham, then missed again this year after being in the hunt over the final holes.

His resolve in setting aside those setbacks and fighting for the next major title comes from the major appetite he still feels, as if the Masters win was only an appetizer in a feast that is his for the taking.

"All it says is that I'm hungry at the moment. I was hungry before the Masters and I might even have a bigger appetite after it," Scott said.

"It might be greedy but I feel like this is my time to get everything I want out of my career and I'm going to keep pushing until I do."

Scott wants to make the most of his Masters momentum before he has to defend his crown in eight months.

"You prove something to yourself to win a major and maybe some other people as well," Scott said. "You have got to take the confidence and form of winning a major and run with it."

When it comes to his game, Scott says things can only get better.

"I've got room to improve still, absolutely," Scott said. "We are always looking to be perfect and that may never be achievable, but you can die trying I guess.

"I continue to see improvement in my short game and in my putting and even in my ball-striking and control, it's getting better."

Lighter schedule

A key factor Scott cites in his success is spending more time working on his game and playing fewer tournaments.

"Dropping a lot of tournaments was the biggest change, playing a much lighter schedule," Scott said. "At some point you have to step out of a comfort zone and back yourself and not be afraid of doing that.

"I had to make a change. It was frustrating for me for a long time being a pretty good player and not performing at big events."

Scott has long said that his next 10 years should be the best of his career and seeing Phil Mickelson win the British Open at 43 only boosted the notion that his best is yet to come.

"Most of the best players have played their best golf in their 30s," he said.

"There's that extra level of experience that works in their favour. Phil has just won a major at 43 so there's no reason why you can't go on playing well beyond that.

"These are going to be my best years. I'm doing everything to make sure they are."